Comparison of SeaWiFS and MODIS time series of inherent optical properties for the Adriatic Sea

Time series of inherent optical properties (IOPs) derived from SeaWiFS and MODIS are compared for the Adriatic Sea. The IOPs are outputs of the Quasi-Analytical Algorithm and include total absorption a, phytoplankton absorption a(ph), absorption associated with colored detrital material (CDM) a(cdm), and particle backscattering coefficient b(bp). The average root-mean square difference Delta computed for log-transformed distributions decreases for a from 0.084 at 412 nm to 0.052 at 490 nm, is higher for a(ph)(443) (0.149) than for a(cdm)(443) (0.071), and is approximately 0.165 for b(bp) at various wavelengths. The SeaWiFS a at 443 and 490 nm, a(ph) at 443 nm and b(bp) are on average higher than the MODIS counterparts. Statistics show significant variations in space and time. There is an overall increasing gradient for Delta associated with the absorption terms from the open southern and central Adriatic to the northwest part of the basin, and a reversed gradient for the particulate backscattering coefficient. For time series analysis, only a(412) and a(cdm)(443) currently present an unbiased continuity bridging the SeaWiFS and MODIS periods for the Adriatic Sea.